Squirt! The Most Interesting Book You'll Ever Read about Blood. (Mysterious You). Trudee Romanek. Illustrated by Rose Cowles. Toronto, ON: Kids Can Press, 2006. 40 pp., pbk. & cl., $7.95 (pbk.), $14.95 (cl.). ISBN 1-55337-777-X (pbk.), ISBN 1-55337-776-1 (cl.). Subject Headings: Blood-Juvenile literature. Heart-Juvenile literature. Grades 4-7 / Ages 9-12. Review by Wendy Williams. *** /4

excerpt:

Dennis Provencher has done a lot of bleeding, but for a very good reason.

On July 25, 2003, in Okinawa, Japan, Dennis donated his 231st unit of blood. Dennis began giving blood in 1951 and donated almost every 56 days after that! In total, he's donated 110 litres (29 gal.) - enough to fill a small bathtub!

Did you know that Count Dracula is named after a real person, Vlad Dracula. This brutal ruler of Transylvania didn't drink blood, but he did have thousands of his citizens impaled on spikes until they died.

I loved this book. I found it informative, interesting and quirky - a great read, or fun to dip into from time to time. Squirt! explains the procedure for finding out how many red blood cells are contained in one cup of liquid, shows the new band-aid that never needs pulling off (ouch), and what scabs are made of. Squirt! contains a chart to help you figure out what your blood type is, where you can find the real bloodsuckers, and how your heart works.

     Squirt! is attractively presented on high quality paper and contains excellent illustrations which give a great deal of information without ever being preachy or "educational." This fun little book explains the difference between arteries and veins, how the heart works, the history of blood discoveries, and the amazing way the heart keeps pumping. Squirt! would make a great gift for a future scientist or for a young person with a natural curiosity about how one's own body works.

     Squirt! would make an interesting and useful addition to a school library for fun information rather than in-depth research for an assignment. This is an excellent book which can be thoroughly recommended.

Highly Recommended.

Wendy Williams, a teacher-librarian in Calgary, AB, anticipates that Squirt! will appeal to young male readers disinclined to read.

To comment on this title or this review, send mail to cm@umanitoba.ca.

Copyright © the Manitoba Library Association. Reproduction for personal use is permitted only if this copyright notice is maintained. Any other reproduction is prohibited without permission.

Published by The Manitoba Library Association ISSN 1201-9364

Hosted by the University of Manitoba.

 

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